Watchcase-spring



No. 6l3,434. Patented Nov. 1, I898.

. A. E. WOLKOW.

WATCHCASE SPRING.

(Application filed Apr. 21, 1898 (No Model.)

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

AUGUST EDWARD WOLKOVV, OF VALPARAISO, INDIANA.

WATCHCASE-SPRING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 613,434, dated November 1, 1898.

Application filed A ril 21, 1898.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, AUGUST EDWARD WoL- KOW, a citizen of the United States, residing at Valparaiso, in the county of Porter and State of Indiana, have invented a new and useful Watchcase-Spring, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to catch and case springs for watches and articles of kindred construction designed to be carried in the pocket or about the person.

The purpose of the improvement is to obviate the wear incident to closing the lid or cover of the case without requiring the pressing inward of the stem to withdraw the catch from the path of the inner rim of the cover.

For a full understanding of the merits and advantages of the invention reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings and the following description.

The improvement is susceptible of various changes in the form, proportion, and the minor details of construction without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages thereof, and to a full disclosure of the invention an adaptation thereof is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a detail view of a watchcase, showing the application of the invention. Fig. 2 is a transverse section showing the catch-spring in engagement with the lid or cover. Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view showing the relation of the catch and restraining springs when the former is projected. Fig. 4 is a detail view in perspective, showing the relation of the parts illustrated in Fig. 3 when the catch-spring is held repressed or out of action. Fig. 5 is a detail view in perspective 0f the restraining and case springs. Fig. 6 is a detail view similar to Fig. 2,showing the catch-spring held repressed.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in the several views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

The rim 1, lid or cover 2, pendant 3, and stem 4 are well-known parts of a watchcase and areillustrated to show the application of the invention.

The catch-spring 5 is secured within the rim 1 in the ordinary manner, and its lip or Serial No. 678,410. (No model.)

engaging portion 6 comes opposite the pond ant and is adapted to be repressed by the stem A, which engages with the free end portion of the spring, whereby upon pressing the stem 4 inward the part 6 will be disengaged from the lid or cover 2, which will fly open under the influence of the case-spring 7. The lip or engaging portion 6 projects a short distance from the end of the spring 5, and the inner lower corner of said spring is cut away, as shown at 8, to receive the inner extension 9 at the free end of the restraining-spring 10, which is secured within the rim 1 in any convenient way. The restraining-spring 10 acts upward at its free end and normally tends to throw the inner extension 9 above the cutaway portion 8, so as to engage with the terminal portion of the catch-spring and hold it out of the path of the edge of the lid or cover. A vertical extension 11 is provided at the free end of the restraining-spring 10 and is located in the rear of the terminal portions of the catch-spring and beneath the lip or engaging portion 6. The upper end of this extension is flattened or headed so as to secure an extended bearing against the inner edge of the lid or cover and prevent injury thereto when coming into forcible contact with the part 11.

The restraining and catch springs being disposed in the relation herein set forth and it being required to open the lid or cover of the watchcase, the stem 4 is pressed upon, thereby moving the catch-spring 5 inward and disengaging the lip or part 6 from the cover in the ordinary manner, thereby permitting the said cover to fly open. The instant the catch-spring releases the lid it will at the same time clear the inner extension 9 of the restraining-sprin g, when the latter will move upward, bringing the extension 9 in the rear of the catch-spring and holding the latter repressed or out of the path of the inner rim of the lid or cover, so that the latter can be closed without pressing against the lip or part 6. When the restraining-spring moves upward, its vertical extension 11 will be pro j ected within the path of the inner face of the lid or cover, so that upon closing the case the inner face of the cover will press upon the extension ll and move the spring 10 downward and disengage its part 9 from the catchspring, which latter will fly upward and engage with the lid or cover and hold it closed. The extension 11 comes in the rear of the part 6 and operates in a notch formed in the rim 1. A filling-piece 12 is secured in the rim to one side of the pendant and forms a backing for the free end portion of the spring 10 and directs it in its vertical movements.

By reference to Fig. 5 it will be noted that the lip 11 and the extension 9 lie at right angles to each other and that they are both integral with the restraining-spring, the latter construction tending'to oheapen and facilitate the manufacture of the spring, because it may be stamped from a single piece of metal. The right-angular disposition of the lip and the extension enables the restraining-spring to be assembled in operative relation to the notched end of the catch-spring and to act in a manner to hold the latter spring in a depressed position when the lid or cover is opened. The extension 9 is quite short to play in the notch 8 and take or fit over the catch-spring, so as to properly restrain the latter, and while the restraining-spring has a limited edgewise movement under the pressure exerted against the lip 11 by the case-lid the movement of the extension 9 is relatively short when engaging with or disengaging from the catch-spring. The lip 11 is long enough to project from the case center or rim into the path of the lid or cover on the opening of the latter, and this spring is attached at its heel to the case-center, so that the active end thereof is free or confined to have the vertical play and the necessary edgewise movement for the extension 9 to engage with the catch-spring. The space-block 12 lies between the ease-center and the restrainingspring for the latter to bear normally thereon, and this space-block serves to deflect the free end of the restraining-spring away from the case-center and to hold it normally in a position below the corresponding end of the catch-spring for the latter to engage with the lid or cover and to hold the push-pin or arbor in the raised position. The catch and restraining springs are each stamped or struck up in a single piece of metal, and the adjacent or active ends of the springs are fashioned for mutual cooperation.

The case-spring 7 is secured within the rim 1 and is provided at its active end with a tongue 13, which engages with the lid or cover 2 at one side of its hinge connection with the rim, so as to throw the lid open when released from the catch-spring. An end portion of the case-spring is made heavy, so as to fit within the rim 1 and fill the space between it and the movement, and the outer side is cut away, as shown at 14, to receive the end portion of the restraining-spring, thereby serving to secure the latter in place.

The case and restraining springs may be integrally formed, if desired, but it is preferred to construct them separately, so that in the event of one becoming disabled it can be replaced without requiring the provision of both.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed,and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a watchcase, the combination with a case-center, a pin or arbor, and a lid, of the catch-spring having at its free end the extended lip in the plane of one edge thereof and also provided, in its other edge, with the notch, 8, and the restraining-spring fixed in the case-center for its active end to lie in operative relation to the free end of the catchspring, and to have movement toward or from the case-center and also an edgewise move ment in relation to the catch-spring, said restraining-spring provided with a lip, 11, and an extension, 9, which lies at right angles to the plane of the lip, 11, and is arranged to play in the notch for engagement with the catch-spring on depression of the latter, the lip, 11, of the restraining-spring being arranged to project over the catch-spring and into the path of the case-lid, substantially as described.

2. In a watchcase, the combination with a case-center, a pin or arbor, and a lid, of the restraining-spring provided at its active end with a protruding lip, 11, and with an extension, 9, which lies at right angles to the lip, a space-block interposed between the casecenter and the restraining-spring for the 1atter to bear thereon at all times, and the catchspring having on one edge the lip, 6, and provided in its other edge with the notch, 8, arranged to receive the extension, 9, of the restraining-spring for the latter to assume a position above the catch-spring on depression of the latter and permit the extension, 9, to fit over the catch-spring; said space-block serving to hold the active end of the restraining-spring in a deflected relation to the casecenter for the catch-sprin g to have the necessary play with the arbor and for the lip, 6, thereof to engage with the case-lid, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

AUGUST EDYVARD \VOLKOWV.

Witnesses:

S. Ross MARTIN, ALFRED M. TURNER.

IIO 

